Article: Brewers Trade Targets: Outfielders

[Kyle Ginsbach]

With the implementation of the universal designated hitter, and the mid-season departure of Lorenzo Cain, the Brewers have a gap open in the outfield. The Brewers will have plenty of options on the trade market, but what realistically makes the most sense?

 

There are a lot of options available in the outfield market. The Brewers have room to get creative; they can make a splash for a star, or they could sign a solid platoon bat. Milwaukee isn’t the only team in need of another player to roam the outfield though. The market figures to be competitive, so the Crew needs to be decisive, and quick. 

The “Fit Level” shows how an incoming player would mesh into the Brewers, while the “likelihood” displays how realistic it is for that player to be acquired.

A Duo of Young Orioles Outfielders - Austin Hays, Anthony Santander - Baltimore Orioles
Hays

Santander

The Baltimore Orioles haven’t been contenders for a long time, and while they’re starting to make strides towards competing again, the O’s will be sellers in 2022 yet again. Some of Baltimore’s most enticing assets are their outfielders, namely Austin Hays and Anthony Santander . Both Hays and Santander have proven to be consistent offensive threats this year, and both come with multiple years of control. Adding either player to the Brewers would certainly add some offensive production, while the defense would be unlikely to falter.

The Orioles have been getting calls for both for some time, but this is likely the deadline where Baltimore decides if the young outfielders are going to be part of their future. The 27-year-old Santander is under team control through 2024 and 26-year-old Hays for another year after that. So a lot depends on how close the Orioles think they are to competing in the monstrous AL East.

Fit Level: High

Likelihood: Very Low

Although adding one of the young outfielders would greatly benefit the Brewers, there is a strong possibility neither player is moved, and if they are, the price will likely be too much for the Crew.

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The Other O’s Option - Trey Mancini - Baltimore Orioles

A potential free agent in 2023 (he has a $10M mutual option), Trey Mancini has been quite the story over the past couple years, and might be the Orioles most sought after asset. Though most of Mancini’s time has come as the designated hitter, he’s played a handful of games in the outfield, and is a first baseman by trade. In 2022, Mancini has seen a bit of a decline in his power, but has posted good offensive numbers otherwise. Adding the 30-year-old would give the Brewers a boost offensively, and give open up some options with the DH spot. 

Fit Level: High

Likelihood: Fairly Low

Mancini is indeed the perfect fit for the Brewers, as he brings offensive legitimacy and defensive versatility. The market for Mancini will likely be intense, and it’s hard to imagine the Brewers will end up winning this sweepstake, but it's worth a try.

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“Benny Biceps” - Andrew Benintendi - Kansas City Royals

Perhaps one of the more recent popular names to be thrown around, Benintendi will be a free agent for the first time in 2023. Though he hasn't been much of a power threat thus far, Benentendi still boasts a competitive slash line of .308/.372/.394, and a track record of a strong glove in left field. He has also found a knack for making contact, as his strikeout rate sits below 15%, which would instantly make him one of the more reliable contact hitters the Brewers have. As a pure rental, the 27-year-old shouldn’t fetch too steep of a price, but that could change depending on how competitive the outfield market becomes.

Fit Level: Medium

Likelihood: Moderate

Though a trade for Benintendi would likely be cost effective compared to other deals, his decreased power numbers may be a cause for concern, and his on-base skills could still regress to his career norms. Still, his bat-to-ball skills are enticing for a team with high strikeout numbers, and his glove would be a major plus.

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A Resurging Veteran - David Peralta - Arizona Diamondbacks

Although the D-Backs have outperformed expectations in 2022, veterans like David Peralta are figured to be flipped for prospects. Peralta is now 34 years of age, but is turning in one of his better offensive seasons in a walk year. Though Peralta is older in age, his advanced hitting metrics remain very solid, and surprisingly, his defense has been well above average. The fit for Peralta is reminiscent to Eduardo Escobar last year, so it makes sense for the Brewers and Diamondbacks to strike a deal once again.

Fit Level: High

Likelihood: Fairly High

Adding a rental veteran bat with a good glove would certainly help the Brewers improve, and should help the Brewers retain more sustenance in the minor league system. Though Peralta would likely force the Brewers to play McCutchen in CF and Yelich at DH, Peralta’s addition is too great to not heavily consider. 

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Another Vet - Charlie Blackmon - Colorado Rockies

Charlie Blackmon still has another year after this one remaining on the 6-figure contract he signed in 2018, though his time in Colorado, and maybe the big leagues, might be coming to a close. Blackmon has been in a steady decline over the past few years, but his numbers suggest he may still have some good baseball left in him. His contract is not something the Brewers would be looking to take on, so they’d have to compensate for that in a trade.

Fit Level: Low

Likelihood: Very Low

At 36, Blackmon is too old to be reliable, has spent his career in hitters paradise, and his contract is awful. Tyrone Taylor would likely be better than Blackmon at this point, so there’s no need to force this deal.

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The Major Splash - Juan Soto - Washington Nationals

Juan Soto may just be the best hitter on the planet, and although he’s not performing up to his own standards this year, the addition of Soto would instantly make the Brewers contenders for their first title. Soto boasts an insane career slash line of .290/.424/.534, yet is only 23 years of age. Already owed 17 million in his second year of arbitration, talks of a contract extension have heated up between Soto and the Nationals. Though Soto has expressed a desire to test free agency in 2025, he's also stated he is open to other possibilities as well. The star outfielder would fetch a very hefty price, and in the Brewers case, would cost them more than a handful of their top prospects. 

Fit Level: Very High

Likelihood: Near Impossible

Assuming Soto is even available, paying the price of Juan Soto is going to be steep, no matter who’s calling. Obviously Soto’s body of work speaks for itself, and adding him would greatly improve the team, but a trade like this is an unnecessary risk for a team like the Brewers in the long run. 

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The Division Rivals - Bryan Reynolds (Pittsburgh Pirates), Ian Happ (Chicago Cubs)
Reynolds

Happ

Ian Happ and Bryan Reynolds are no stranger to the Brewers, and both have put up strong campaigns so far. Neither is a rental player, with Happ becoming a FA in 2024, and Reynolds not until 2026, so the Brewers would figure to part ways with 2-3 high value prospects in a trade. Both have also drawn significant trade interest among contenders of all tiers, and both could also end up factoring into their current clubs plan. Making a move for Reynolds in particular would be expensive, but could help the Brewers stay contenders for years to come. 

Fit Level: High

Likelihood: Low

While both could help the team now, and in the future, the Brewers should be careful to not waste time forcing a deal, as both the Cubs and Pirates likely would be hesitant to trade controllable assets to a division rival. 

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A Bad Reputation - Tommy Pham - Cincinnati Reds

Tommy Pham is a newcomer to the central division, but has made his name known. Pham has quietly turned in a nice season behind the controversy he’s stirred, and has a proven track record in the past. Pham is likely a half-season rental, as his mutual option would likely be declined if he reaches desired production.

Fit Level: Low

Likelihood: Medium

With the Reds currently sitting last in the Central, they likely wouldn't mind trading a rental to the Brewers. Pham’s been solid this year, but his reputation should be a deal-breaker.

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Another Big Outfield Arm - Ramon Laureano

 

 

Ramon Laureano recently finished serving an 80-game suspension, and while that isn’t what you want on your resume, the A’s center fielder brings other things to the table. Laureano has been average offensively, but he’s hit well against lefties, and has built a reputation for being an excellent center fielder. Laureano also comes with two years of control, something the Brewers have favored in the past.

Fit Level: Medium

Likelihood: Low

Rumors have been particularly quiet on Laureano thus far, and while the team control is nice, Laureano would likely split time with Tyrone Taylor. Trading for a platoon bat can be beneficial, but it might not be the splash the Brewers are looking for.

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Struggling Star: Joey Gallo

Joey Gallo's tenure in the Bronx has been bad. There's no other way of putting it. In what was supposed to be an ideal fit, the former Ranger has struggled putting the ball in play, and struggled to keep his starting job. If the Yankees are to move Gallo, It'll likely be in a trade where they benefit immediately as well. Gallo is a stellar defender and has major thunder in his bat, but is heavily prone to striking out, so he'd fit in with a Milwaukee team with the same problem.

Fit Level: Very Low

Likelihood: Low

It'd be downright foolish for the Brewers to trade for Gallo considering his performance this year. Even at an ideal level, Gallo's strikeout issues would hamper the Brewers more than his power and glove ever could.

Is there anyone from the list you'd like to see in MKE? Is there anyone I missed?
 

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[Underachiever]

Peralta and Biceps are the only two that rate above “low”? Not painting a pretty picture. What about Josh Bell?

[Underachiever]

Peralta and Biceps are the only two that rate above “low”? Not painting a pretty picture. What about Josh Bell?

[sveumrules]

5 minutes ago, Underachiever said:

Peralta and Biceps are the only two that rate above “low”? Not painting a pretty picture. What about Josh Bell?

Problem is none of these guys are really CF. Even Reynolds is -11 DRS | -6.8 UZR out there since last year. Laureno would be postseason ineligible I assume.

Benintendi could be interesting, but it’s a lot easier to hit singles at Kaufman than at AmFam & his LHP splits aren’t encouraging, 655 OPS this year & 708 career. I wouldn’t want to give up anybody in the top dozen or so prospects for that dice roll.

Michael Taylor seems more Stearns-y out of the KC outfielders having breakout/fluke (you decide which) seasons. Legit CF defense at +7 DRS this year & +48 career. Not much, but a lil better vs LHP 686 this year & 728 career. Has an extra year of team control though so Royals might not be motivated to deal.

Bell for 1B/DH would be the true get as he’s crushing everything this year with a 163 OPS+ overall and 871 OPS vs LHP, but he’s also the best rental bat so bidding could get steep.

Mancini wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize & seems like the best mix of need vs acquisition cost to me out of the guys likely to be dealt.

[sveumrules]

5 minutes ago, Underachiever said:

Peralta and Biceps are the only two that rate above “low”? Not painting a pretty picture. What about Josh Bell?

Problem is none of these guys are really CF. Even Reynolds is -11 DRS | -6.8 UZR out there since last year. Laureno would be postseason ineligible I assume.

Benintendi could be interesting, but it’s a lot easier to hit singles at Kaufman than at AmFam & his LHP splits aren’t encouraging, 655 OPS this year & 708 career. I wouldn’t want to give up anybody in the top dozen or so prospects for that dice roll.

Michael Taylor seems more Stearns-y out of the KC outfielders having breakout/fluke (you decide which) seasons. Legit CF defense at +7 DRS this year & +48 career. Not much, but a lil better vs LHP 686 this year & 728 career. Has an extra year of team control though so Royals might not be motivated to deal.

Bell for 1B/DH would be the true get as he’s crushing everything this year with a 163 OPS+ overall and 871 OPS vs LHP, but he’s also the best rental bat so bidding could get steep.

Mancini wouldn’t be a bad consolation prize & seems like the best mix of need vs acquisition cost to me out of the guys likely to be dealt.

[Kyle Ginsbach]

As for Micheal Taylor, It's nice to see he putting up career bests in K% and BB%, (and by a pretty significant margin) but he's still not on any kind of tear. The extra year on control might be costly, and It wouldn't really surprise me if he gets overvalued. As for his fit in Milwaukee, it's an easy upgrade in CF. Cutch/Yeli would get the bulk of the DH time, which would help the defense a lot. His bat could see a uptick in power in AmFam, but I wouldn't be surprised if he slowly starts to regress towards his career norms, and we start to see his AVG and OBP fall. 

I'm not sure there's enough upside in this deal, but this rings true for many of the guys in the list.

[Kyle Ginsbach]

As for Micheal Taylor, It's nice to see he putting up career bests in K% and BB%, (and by a pretty significant margin) but he's still not on any kind of tear. The extra year on control might be costly, and It wouldn't really surprise me if he gets overvalued. As for his fit in Milwaukee, it's an easy upgrade in CF. Cutch/Yeli would get the bulk of the DH time, which would help the defense a lot. His bat could see a uptick in power in AmFam, but I wouldn't be surprised if he slowly starts to regress towards his career norms, and we start to see his AVG and OBP fall. 

I'm not sure there's enough upside in this deal, but this rings true for many of the guys in the list.

[Mass Haas]

4 hours ago, sveumrules said:

Laureno would be postseason ineligible I assume.

The suspension was split between last year and this, and the postseason ineligibility applied only to 2021.

[Mass Haas]

4 hours ago, sveumrules said:

Laureno would be postseason ineligible I assume.

The suspension was split between last year and this, and the postseason ineligibility applied only to 2021.

[sveumrules]

10 minutes ago, Mass Haas said:

The suspension was split between last year and this, and the postseason ineligibility applied only to 2021.

Thanks for the clarification, Mass. Think that makes Ramon a more realistic option for sure then.

Has mashed LHP for a 916 OPS this year & 828 OPS for his career.

[sveumrules]

10 minutes ago, Mass Haas said:

The suspension was split between last year and this, and the postseason ineligibility applied only to 2021.

Thanks for the clarification, Mass. Think that makes Ramon a more realistic option for sure then.

Has mashed LHP for a 916 OPS this year & 828 OPS for his career.

[Underachiever]

Apologies for not paying attention to the "Outfielders" part of the story when I asked about Josh Bell.

[bensheeps]

So if you had to make the choice between Ramon Laureano or Michael A. Taylor to add to center field, which would you choose and why?

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

2 minutes ago, bensheeps said:

So if you had to make the choice between Ramon Laureano or Michael A. Taylor to add to center field, which would you choose and why?

Probably Laureano. More upside. Taylor is having a good year, but has never really done a whole lot in his career otherwise.